“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” ― Anaïs Nin

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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Next chance you get, check out the last 10 seconds of the ending scene in 300.

Why would a proven model some 3 decades old, not hold up to supporting MpS?

Because no matter how many nifty tools or vendor partners come calling, no matter how 'easy' an MpS program looks from the outside, Managed Print Services is not a bolt-on proposition.

Sound familiar? Remember the 50% to the MpSr's who failed?

Zombie Ant. No, really, it's true.

Two generations of MpS directors, practice managers and converted services managers litter the landscape, wandering from MpS program to program - ZombieAnts.

BTW, I wonder what numbers the kids over at Photizo can come up with on what percentage of VARs who start MpS, fail. I mean, I know Photizo didn't invent the 'Quarterly Business Review' but they got really neato calculators n stuff...anywho...

As our ships orbit their planet, and they look up at us, what should we do?

Embrace, Partner, Expand -

Looking back over the last 4 years as MpS first came out, then had a parade and finally made it to the big people table, we can see the mistakes made along the way.

There is little reason to believe the same will not happen in the VAR space - except for one, slight difference - the OEMs. Not our OEMs, theirs. CISCO, HP, Lenovo, Oki, Toshiba, IBM, Sony, Dell just to name a few.

MpS is a grass-roots effort. Consider that for a second. Our is a in the trenches industry, risen from the ashes of oh so many scorchings

Sure, sure, sure - all our OEMs are into MpS and all of them, every single one, is an expert in the definition of, the vision and the delivery of all 5 plus stages - right?

Okay, maybe not.

We are in control here.

So do we collaborate, assimilate or destroy the 'Barbarians at the gate'?

Yes. All three. We look to collaborate. We recognize the opportunity in assimilation. And if those two options are shunned, we surround and consume.

They outnumber us, a paltry 3 to 1.

We, in the trenches, reach out and form alliances with those who wish to "rescue a world from mysticism and tyranny, ushering a future brighter than anything we can imagine".

The 'New Way' is all about partnering with those you had never considered before